Living With Less An Unexpected Key To Happiness Joshua Becker. group.com simplyyouthministry.com

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2 Living With Less An Unexpected Key To Happiness 2012 Joshua Becker group.com simplyyouthministry.com All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher, except where noted in the text and in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, visit group.com/customersupport/permissions. Credits Author: Joshua Becker Executive Developer: Nadim Najm Chief Creative Officer: Joani Schultz Editor: Rob Cunningham Art Director and Production: Veronica Preston Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. ISBN Printed in the United States of America.

3 Joshua Becker is about to introduce you to a different way of thinking: Your life is too valuable to waste it chasing stuff. The idea isn t one you ll hear very often in our culture, but it is one that could change your life and even more importantly change your heart. Joshua Griffin High School Pastor Saddleback Church Joshua has created a resource that is challenging and thought-provoking! If students (or even adults) are willing to engage with it, the ideas can transform how they look at stuff...starting today. Scott Rubin Junior High Pastor Willow Creek Community Church Joshua s work in this book serves as a voice calling parents and students to live for more than just stuff. Living With Less is a reminder that there is something else...something better. Mike Burns Pastor of Family Development The Chapel, Getzville, New York

4 Today s teenagers are pitched this and that all day long, but rarely are they exposed to a truly compelling and contemporary way of living that is somehow both counterintuitive and so obviously biblical. Mark Oestreicher Partner The Youth Cartel I love to promote simple living, but it s become trendy so trendy, in fact, that it s easy to write it off as just another lifestyle fad. But it s so much more than a fad; it s a way of life prescribed to all Jesus-followers. I wish I was encouraged more to pursue a life free from stuff when I was a teenager. In other words, I wish I d had this book. Joshua challenges teens to free their hearts from the pursuit of stuff, and his words are gold. Tsh Oxenreider Founder and Editor of SimpleLivingMedia.com There are times in our lives when powerful truths hit us straight on with force. Joshua s book was one of those times for me. If you need a facelift on your life this is a must read. Nate Parks Executive Director Camp Berea, New Hampshire

5 Living With Less has the potential to change the next generation, to show them the futility of chasing stuff and make them step back and really evaluate the decisions they make in light of Christ s teachings. In a world where the pursuit of happiness has become synonymous with the pursuit of stuff, it s time to turn the tide and rediscover lives of simplicity and freedom. Mandi Ehman Founder & Editor Life Your Way (life.yourway.net) There s a lot to look forward to in life. Joshua is right on when he encourages readers to pass on consumerism and live for Jesus. No need to worry about returns or next season s fashion. Living for Jesus means no regrets. Dave Bruno Author of The 100-Thing Challenge This book invites teens to practice minimalism in response to God s life-giving invitation to live with less. Joshua Becker shares his story and leads by example while offering practical ways to discover what is most important in life. Courtney Carver Author of Be More With Less

6 Minimalism is often dismissed as a trendy lifestyle for 20-somethings without the burdens of married life, children, or responsibilities. Joshua Becker debunks this misconception by telling his story of his suburban family of four s journey toward simpler lives, embracing minimalism and enjoying the benefits of living more intentionally. Joshua Field Millburn Blogger at theminimalists.com

7 DEDICATION special thanks to my wife, Kimberly. dedicated to my beautiful children, Salem and Alexa. these words originated in the grace of God... by a life invested into by countless godly men and women... and are written for an audience destined to find full life in Christ alone.

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9 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction... i PART 1: JESUS STORY... 1 Chapter 1: Jesus and the Offer of Abundant Life...3 Chapter 2: Jesus and Possessions...17 PART 2: MY STORY...27 Chapter 3: A Pretty Typical Story of Too Much Stuff...29 Chapter 4: An Introduction to a New Way of Life...37

10 PART 3: YOUR STORY...43 Chapter 5: Our Actions Follow Our Heart...45 Chapter 6: The Life-Changing Benefits of Owning Less...53 Chapter 7: The Heart Impact of Choosing Less...69 Chapter 8: A Word to the Skeptics...75 PART 4: THE INTERSECTION OF YOUR STORY AND JESUS STORY...79 Chapter 9: Maybe Jesus Has Been Right All Along...81 Chapter 10: Making Jesus Story Yours...89 Chapter 11: Your Life Is Too Valuable to Spend Chasing Possessions ENDNOTES CONTENTS

11 introduction Nobody really believes it Nobody really believes it. Nobody really believes possessions equal joy. In fact, if specifically asked the question, nobody in their right mind would ever say the secret to a joyful, meaningful life is to own a lot of stuff. Deep down in their heart, nobody really thinks it s true. Yet almost all of us live like it is. From the moment we are born, we are told to pursue more. Advertisements from every television, radio, newspaper, magazine, billboard, and website scream to us on a daily basis that more is better. As a result, we spend countless hours comparing our things to the person next to us. We measure our family s success in life by the size of our home. And we end up looking for jobs that pay enough money so we can spend our adult lives purchasing the biggest homes, fanciest cars, trendiest fashions, most popular toys, and coolest technologies. i

12 But we all know it s not true. We all know happiness cannot be bought at a department store. More is not necessarily better. We ve just been told the lie so many times we begin to believe it without even noticing. Consider some of these statistics: The average American cardholder carries 3.7 credit cards. 1 The average American household carries over $15,000 in credit card debt. 2 The average U.S. household debt is 136 percent of household income, which means the typical American family owes far more money than it makes in an entire year. 3 The number of shopping centers in the U.S. surpassed the number of high schools back in Women will spend more than eight years of their lives shopping. 5 INTRODUCTION

13 The average size of the American home has more than doubled over the past 50 years. 6 One out of every 10 households in our country rents a storage unit to house its excess belongings. 7 We live in a world that loves accumulating possessions. And while nobody would ever admit that they are trying to purchase happiness at their local department store, most people live like they are. But what if there was a far better way to live life? One that recognizes the empty promises of advertisements and consumerism. One that champions the pursuit of living with only the most essential possessions needed for life. One that boldly declares there is more joy in owning less than can be found in pursuing more. That truth would change everything about us. It would change the way we spend our hours, our energy, and our money. It would change iii

14 where we focus our attention and our minds. It would change the very foundation of our lives. In short, it would free us up to pursue the things in life of lasting value. It would be a completely life-changing and life-giving realization. And it may just line up with everything your heart, deep down, has been telling you all along. INTRODUCTION

15 PART 1: JESUS STORY

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17 Chapter 1: Jesus and the Offer of Abundant Life One Saturday afternoon, we took our young son to a large (and famous) toy store to spend some gift certificates he had received for his birthday. He wanted a skateboard. I liked the idea of having a boy that could hold his own on a skateboard, so we climbed in the car and made the drive to the local shopping center. As soon as we walked into the store, my son noticed the almost limitless shelves of shiny, colorful toys. I saw his eyes get noticeably large as we began making our way through the store. He began considering all the possibilities. I had hoped to make a beeline for the sports section to pick out his skateboard, but I immediately realized that this shopping trip was not going to happen as I d envisioned. He had become far too distracted by all of the possibilities. 3

18 Every single toy seemed to bring bigger and brighter smiles to each child playing with it at least, that s what was depicted on the colorful packaging. As we continued walking (I mean, as I was pulling him to keep him moving), my son quickly noticed an aisle with dinosaurs. Right on the end of the aisle, he spotted a pop-up tent that was designed to look like a cave. On the package was a young boy smiling from ear to ear while playing with dinosaurs around the cave. At that very moment, my son decided that he no longer wanted a skateboard; he wanted a pop-up tent that looked like a dinosaur cave instead. As his father, I had to step in. After all, I m smart enough to realize that this pop-up tent was not a wise use of his limited birthday money. Anyone could easily see that this cheaply made tent would get played with once or twice and never again. It would likely break right away. But even if it didn t break right away, my son would have quickly realized it wasn t really that exciting (I mean, the jesus story

19 dinosaurs weren t even included). Through some heavy persuasion techniques, I talked him out of the dinosaur cave and back to his original intent of a skateboard (that experience looks much better on paper than it did in the store; the actual events included much more kicking and screaming). I m glad I was there to play the father role and save my son from wasting his birthday money on that unwise purchase. I ve been around longer and I ve seen firsthand which toys get played with and which toys don t. I know enough about craftsmanship to better judge which toys will last and which will break. And I was able to make objective judgments about the situation. As a result, I knew that in the long run, he would find more enjoyment in a skateboard than a pretend dinosaur cave. But this book isn t about him, it s about me and it s about you. The whole situation got me thinking. What about me? Who do I have in my life to keep me from making foolish decisions with my 5

20 money and with my life? Oh sure, I do have more life experience and wisdom than my son, which gives me some discretion. But as I look around my house at all the things that seemed like a good purchase at the time (outdated clothes, dusty decorations, unused kitchen gadgets), I can t help but wonder if my house (and bank account) would look far different if I had somebody looking over my shoulder playing the father role, keeping me from wasteful spending. But it s not just financial purchases that I regret; there are also life decisions that I regret. Actions that I regret. Words that never should have been said. Who in my life has the wisdom, love, and relationship to help me navigate the difficult waters of life? Tragic Misconceptions There are many misconceptions about the person of Jesus floating around our world. I suppose this is to be expected. After all, a world that is set against Jesus is going to try everything it can to turn people away from jesus story

21 him. And if the world can accomplish this by misrepresenting who Jesus is and what Jesus taught, it would make perfect sense that it would do just that. One of the most tragic misrepresentations that the world will claim against Jesus is that his life only holds value for the afterlife. In other words, the culture will try to convince us that he holds great promise for the future, but little significance for today. If the world can convince us that Jesus was right about life in heaven, but wrong about life today, we will neglect most of his teaching that concerns our everyday life (morality, purpose, sacrifice, relationships). We may trust him for eternal life after death but believe his instructions for life today are wrong, outdated, boring, or downright impossible. But Jesus told us otherwise. In John 10:10, Jesus made it very clear that he brought with him a new life for us today a new and better way to enjoy our life right now. He said it like this: The thief comes only to steal and kill 7

22 and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Take a closer look at that statement. Jesus invites us to a new and better life today. His invitation was not just to enjoy God s best in eternity; it also was an invitation to enjoy God s best today. Jesus came so that we could enjoy the best possible life right now! That is why the world s misconception about Christ is so damaging. If the world can convince you Jesus is not worth following today, it can keep you from living a life that experiences full happiness, hope, peace, love, and abundance. But more than that, this lie can keep you from making this world a better place and being an influence for God s kingdom during your life. If the world can convince you its way of life is better, it has won (at least for now). But it would be foolish to trust God for unparalleled joy and bliss for all eternity, but not trust him for the best life today. If God created us, he knows what is best for our jesus story

23 lives. And if God loves us, he would desire to lead us to the best possible life. If those two things are true of God, he becomes the best father figure ever, leading us wisely through the toy store of life to find the most lasting joy available. God Created Us When I was in high school, I was required to take a speech class. At the time, I hated it. I can remember lying in bed the night before my speech scared to death, unable to sleep, and praying for snow. When the snow didn t come, I can remember sitting in class hoping that the person in front of me would accidentally give a 50-minute speech rather than a fiveminute speech so time would run out and the bell would ring. Needless to say, that never happened. And speech class has forever been recorded on my permanent record as the lowest grade I ever received in high school. But despite all the anxiety and terror that the class rained down on my life for those five months of my junior year, I still learned 9

24 a lot about public speaking, confidence, and persuasive presentations. Early in the class, way before any of us gave our first presentation, we were given this piece of advice from the teacher: Pick a topic that you are qualified to speak about. And early in your speech, tell your audience why you are qualified to speak about it. In fact, it was even the first item on our teacher s checklist for grading our speeches: Did the speaker explain why he/she is qualified to give this speech? It became an important principle that I have never forgotten and have used throughout life in writing, conversations, and public speeches: Pick a topic you are qualified to speak about. And be sure to explain to your audience why they should listen to you. Perhaps, that is why God began the Bible the way he did. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). In those 10 words, God establishes himself as perfectly (and solely) qualified to speak on all matters of life and death. God is the author and creator jesus story

25 of life. By the simple sound of God s voice, the heavens and the earth and everything inside of them were created. Paul later tells us in the book of Colossians that everything was created by God and for God (Colossians 1:16). God alone is the great creator of all things. And this truth is entirely life-changing in every aspect. It means God alone is perfectly qualified to fix our lives, to direct our lives, and to enable us to make the most of them. After all, God made them in the first place! Because God created life and knows best how it should be lived, it makes sense that the advice he gives concerning how it should be lived would carry extra weight in our decisions. But there s more. Not only did God create life itself, he also loves us and wants us to experience the greatest possible good during it. 11

26 God Loves Us One of the most repeated themes throughout Scripture is the truth that God loves us and desires to be intimately involved in each of our lives. God knows this truth is one that must be repeated until it is believed because the power behind this message is so lifetransforming. Assume for just a moment that you are about to get married. And you happen to find yourself in a most unique circumstance. You have the option of choosing between two people who you know want to marry you. To make the story even more interesting, let s say these two people are identical twins identical in almost every imaginable way. They look exactly the same. They have exactly the same interests. Exactly the same intelligence, personality, talents, skills, hobbies, wardrobe, and so on, and so on. And by the way, for the sake of argument, they happen to be everything that you have ever wanted in a spouse: physically attractive, tidy, love to clean, love to cook, love to shovel the walk jesus story

27 and mow the lawn (they even love to cheer against the New York Yankees). It doesn t matter insert anything you want in the list to create your perfect spouse. Of course, now we know the situation is hypothetical because I m already taken just kidding. Your choice is between two virtually perfect people. There is really only one difference between them to help you decide: One loves you and one hates you. Twin A loves you with an incredible love. A love that you know is so abundant you can t even get your mind around it, much less your arms. This person s love for you is so great you cannot figure out why they would love you so much but they do. They know everything about you yet love you unconditionally with an extravagant love. They will do whatever it takes to bring you joy and to bring you peace. They d even go so far as to lay down their own life for you. Twin B, on the other hand, hates you. I mean, legitimately hates you. Hates you with the 13

28 same passion and intensity that Twin A loves you. Twin B wants nothing more than to make your life miserable to bring misery upon you and ultimately contribute to your death and destruction. And they are going to do everything in their power to make that happen. Oh, they don t come right out and tell you that (that would be too easy) instead, they try to look similar on the outside by giving the same promises as Twin A. But you ve been around long enough to see this, you ve seen this twin s effect on others, and you ve heard enough stories that you suspect it to be true. So there you have it. Those are your choices. Which twin gets your wedding ring? Twin A or Twin B? This could be the easiest question you get asked all day. You re going to choose to marry the one who loves you and wants the best for you that would be the best way to live your life. It would be foolish to marry the one you know wants your destruction. Nice, fun story I like telling it. But here s the reality. We really only have two options with our lives. We can jesus story

29 choose to follow our selfish desires brought on by sin and the Evil One and encouraged by this world. Or we can choose God. We can choose to follow Christ. We can choose his will for our life and his plan for our actions. And suddenly, our hypothetical situation becomes a little less hypothetical and a lot more real for every single one of us. Who gets your life s wedding ring? Wouldn t it make perfect sense to give your life over to the one who loved you enough to give his own life for you? God loves you. God created you. God wants your best and knows what that is. God alone is worthy of our trust. And God has invited us to enjoy the abundant life in relationship with him today. 15